Thread-protector.



No. 682,409. Patented Sept. l0, IQOL B. F. GREENE.

THREAD PROTECTOR.

(Application filed Apr. 10, 1901.)

(No Model.)

ma warns Films :0. vnmoumo WASPHNGYONY n. c,

NITED STATES Brion.

PATENT THREAD-PROTECTO R.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 682,409, datedSeptember 10, 1901. Application filed April 10, 1901. an no. 55,120. onmodel.)

T0 at whom it nut/y concern:

Be it known that I, BENJAMIN F. GREENE, a citizen of the United Statesof America, residing at Sheridan, in the county of Allegheny and Stateof Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inThread- Protectors, of which the following is a specification, referencebeing had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements inthread-protectors, and has for its object to provide novel and efiectualmeans for protecting the thread on pipe or the like during shipment andhandling thereof to preventinjury thereto.

In describing the invention in detail reference is had to theaccompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and whereinlike numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout theseveral views, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of a portion of apipe, showing my improved thread-protector in position on the threadsthereof. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the thread-protector removedfrom the pipe. Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical sectional view of a partof the protector. Fig. 4: is a detail perspective View of the clamp orbinding-plate employed for bindingthe convolutions of the wire together.Fig. 5 is a top plan view of a modified form of this clamp orbinding-plate. Fig. 6 is an end view of the same.

In shipment or handlingof ironpipe of any kind or size, especially thoseof considerable diameter, it is desirable that a covering or protectingbe provided for the threads in order that the latter will not be damagedin shipping or handling, so that the pipe may be readily joined togetherwhen desired. Various devices have been employed for this purpose, mostof which require threading to mesh with the threads of the pipe toretain the protector thereon. In my protector I employ a single strandof wire, preferably circular in cross-section, and coil this wire incircular form, the wire acting as threads to engage with those on thepipe and lying partially in such threads, so as to completely fill thespace between one thread and the adjacent thread on the pipe andeffectually prevent the threads from injury.

In the accompanying illustration of my invention I have shown a part ofthe pipe 1 provided with threads 2 at the end thereof.

The protector is formed from a single strand of wire 3, preferablycircular in cross-section, and which is coiled or Wound into a series ofcircular coils or convolutions, which lie paralleland abut one againstthe other. These circular coils or convolutions of the wire are boundtogether at one or more points of the circumference, which may be doneby means of a clamp or binding-plate 4:, as shown in Fig. 4 of thedrawings. Thisform of fastening consists of a metal plate having aslight curvature to conform to the curvature or circular shape of theprotector and is provided with downwardly-turned side edges, formingflanges 5. These flanges are preferably countersunk, partially at least,into the outside coils or convolutions of the wire protector, as shownat 6. The clamp or binding-plate after thus being placed in position onthe series of coils or convolutions is fastened thereto by solder or anyfusible metal, and for this purpose I preferably provide the plate withan opening 7, into which the solder'or other fusible metal may be pouredwhile it is in a liquid state, so it will run along the grooves betweenthe diflerent coils or convolutions of the wire and bind these coils orconvolutions together, as shown at 8. The circular coils or convolutionsof the Wire, if desired, may be fastened together by means of a fusiblemetal alloy, thus dispensing with the binding-plate, or thebinding-plate may be fastened to the coils or convolutions of the Wireby other means than by the use of the fusible metal or alloyas, forinstance, by making the flanges 5 of a greater width, so that the samemay be clamped in under the two outside coils or convolutions of thewire. If desired, this clamp or binding-plate may be made of corrugatedmaterial, as shown at 9 in Figs. 5 and 6. The corrugations or grooves inthe plate of this construction would receive the circular coils orconvolutions of the wire forming the protector. The side flanges 10 ofthis clamp or binding-plate are preferably curved inwardly, and this isalso true of the side flanges 5 of the clamp or binding-plate 4, asshown in Fig. 3 of the drawings, this being done so as to secure theplate more firmly in position on the coils or convolutions of the wlre.

When making the protector, a piece of wire is employed of the desiredsize and length and may be wound into parallel coils or convolutions bywrapping upon a mandrel or otherdesired means. For ordinary-sized pipethe ends of the wire are preferably made to over lap, as shown in Fig. 1of the drawings, though, if desired, the ends of the wire may beterminated at or nearly opposite to each other, and when this is donethe said ends will be inclosed by the clamp or binding-plate. For alarge-size pipe the ends may be terminated opposite to each other andtwo clamps or binding-plates employed on opposite sides of theprotector. By countersinking the side flanges of the plate into the wirethe outer face of the said flanges is substantially on a plane with theouter face of the two outside coils or convolutions of the wire, thusoffering no obstruction to the movement of the protector while threadingthe same onto or off of the pipe. The size of the wire employed will ofcourse depend upon the cut of the thread upon the pipes, and this wirebeprotector with the threads being entirely throughout the width of theprotector. This is made possible for the reason that a taper can bereadily'placed in the protector to conform to the taper of the threadson the pipe.

In forming the thread-protector when the wire has been coiled or woundupon the mandrel the same may be transferred to a mandrel having aslight taper, conforming to the taper of the threads on the pipe uponwhich it is desired to use the protector.- This taper, while beingslight, maybe readily noticed by the person when placing the protectorin position on the pipe, and he will be enabled to tell at a glancewhich end of the protector should be inserted on the pipe,

As heretofore stated, two or more clamps or binding-plates may beemployed, and the coils or convolutions of the wire can be fastenedtogether by electrically weldin g or other desired means.

WVhile I have herein shown the preferred form of construction of myimproved threadprotector, yet it will be observed that various changesmay be made in the details of construction without departing from thegeneral spirit of my invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A thread-protector comprising in its entirety a series of parallelcircular convolutions or coils of wire the peripheries of which areexposed, and means for binding the convolutions or coils together,substantially as described.

2. A thread-protector comprising a series of wire convolutions or coilsabutting against each other with their peripheries exposed except at thepoint where the coils are bound together, substantially as described.

3. A thread-protector comprising a series of circular wire convolutionsarranged in parallel relation and abutting against each other, a clampfixed to the wire convolutions at one point for binding the sametogether, the said wire convolutions being peripherally exposed exceptat the point where covered by the clamp, substantially as described.

4. A thread-protector comprising in its entirety a single piece of wirewhich is circular in cross-section and wound into a series of parallelcircular convolutions abutting against each other, the greater portionof said convolutions being peripherally exposed, and.

means for'binding the con volutions together, substantially asdescribed.

5. A thread-protector comprising a series of coils or convolutions ofwire abutting against each other and having a taper conforming to thetaper of the pipe-threads, the said coils or convolutions beingperipherally exposed except at the point where bound together,substantially as described.

6. A thread-protector comprising a series of coils or convolutions ofwire abutting against each other with the greater part of theirperipheries exposed, combined with a clampingplate which lies across theperipheries of the coils at one point and has its side edges flanged andcountersunk into the two outside coils, substantially as described.

7. A thread-protector formed of a single piece of wire which is woundinto a series of circular convolutions or coils abutting one against theother, combined with means embracing the coils on their outer face atone point only for binding the coils together, substantially asdescribed.

8. A thread-protector formed of a single piece of wire substantiallycircular in crosssection and which is wound into a series of circularconvolutions or coils abutting against each other, the greater part orportion of said coil-s being peripherally exposed,

and means for binding the coils in abutting engagement with each other.

9. A thread-protector formed of a single piece of wire which is woundinto a series of substantially parallel circular convolutions or coilshaving a taper and abutting against each other, the greater part orportion of said Iid coils being peripherally exposed, and means forbinding the coils in abutting engagement, substantially as described.

10. A threadprotector comprising a series of wire convoluti'ons orcoils, the sides of which are in abutting engagement with one anotherthroughout their length, substantially as described.

11. A thread-protector comprising a series of convolutions or coils, thesides of which coils are in abutting engagement with one anotherthroughout their length, and means for binding the coils togethersubstantially as described.

12. A thread-protector comprising a series of convolutions or coils, thegreater part or portion of which are peripherally exposed, and means forconnecting the coils together, substantially as described.

13. A thread protector comprising a series of convolutions or coils, thegreater part or portion of which are peripherally exposed,

and a clamping-plate embracing the outer face of the coils at one pointonly for connccting the same together, substantially as described.

Li. A thread-protector comprising a series of Wire convolutions or coilsperipherally exposed and the sides of which are in abutting engagementthroughout their length, and a clamping-plate for connecting the coilstogether, substantially as described.

15. A thread-protector formed of a single piece of wire wound into aseries of circular convolutions or coils, combined with means engagingthe coils on their outer face at one point only for binding the coilstogether, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in the presence of twowitnesses.

BENJAMIN F. GREENE.

Witnesses:

JOHN NOLAND, A. M. WILsoN,

